


The Snowglobe

by rosesandthorons



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coming Out, Dreams, Leokumi Week 2019, M/M, Nagamas, Not Beta Read, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 23:00:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21746977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesandthorons/pseuds/rosesandthorons
Summary: In Nohr, it is believed that if one makes a wish upon a snowglobe on the Eve of the Dusk Dragon, it will come true.Takumi doesn't believe that.
Relationships: Leon | Leo/Takumi
Kudos: 28
Collections: Nagamas Gifts





	The Snowglobe

**Author's Note:**

> this work is part of the nagamas 2019 gift exchange! I hope you enjoy, chihiro_exe !
> 
> I also wanted to get this done in time for leokumi week! day 4's prompt is modern au.

Takumi is sitting on a train back to Hoshido, alone and incensed.

He tries to focus on the ethereal winter scenery outside the window to clear his mind. The country plains on the outskirts of Nohr are speckled with towering pine trees, wearing puffs of pure-white snow like garland.

Despite the heating in the cabin, Takumi suddenly feels a chill. He buries his face in the stupid purple scarf that Leo lent him because he didn't realize how cold it had gotten in Nohr. It smells faintly of peppermint, which sparks a fresh surge of annoyance in him.

They've been dancing around each other for the better part of a year. Takumi’s college roommate, Odin, is a childhood friend of Leo’s. By chance, they all happened to go to the same university in Valhalla, which is a bustling district right between Hoshido and Nohr. After spending so much time together as a group, Leo and Takumi found out that they had a lot in common once they stopped fighting with each other. Eventually, they started dating.

In secret, of course. 

If either of their families found out about their relationship, they would most certainly be in huge trouble. Both Takumi and Leo's families are ridiculously traditional and obsessed with maintaining their public images. They have both lived their entire lives in the public eye; Leo and Takumi's fathers are both renowned politicians in their respective countries. As such, Takumi's parents expect him to get together with a proper Hoshidan girl.

Hoshidan.

Girl.

Both things that Leo is not, nor could ever be.

Leo's family has also tried to get him to date some rich Nohrian girls in the past as well, but he always manages to weasel his way out of any long-term commitment. Leo uses school as an excuse to not date, saying he would rather focus on his studies than spend his time holding a girl's hand.

Any time that Leo and Takumi get to spend together is precious, because they are painfully aware of how limited it is.

Tomorrow is an important religious holiday for Nohr. They celebrate the day of the birth of their guardian deity, the Dusk Dragon, every 25th of December. There are stupid Nohrian traditions where they chop down those gigantic pine trees that grow everywhere and throw all of these bright lights and gaudy decorations all over them. Then, they display the eyesores right in the middle of their homes for everyone to see!

That's not even the worst part. They then put even more flamboyantly-wrapped gifts under the tree and wait until the morning of the holiday to open them. Leo says it's supposed to be a special time with those who are closest to you, and a time to reflect on your actions throughout the year.

It's different in Hoshido. They celebrate the coming of the new year as a way to honor their guardian deity, the Dawn Dragon. It makes a lot more sense to celebrate this way for a variety of reasons. For one, they don't go harming and desecrating nature. The elegant simplicity of kadomatsu and kagami mochi are much more pleasing to look at than flashy wreaths and trees. Secondly, if the point of honoring the guardian deity is to reflect on one’s actions, wouldn’t it make more sense to start off the new year with this type of meditation?

Today, Takumi had made the trip all the way to Nohr to visit Leo during their holiday break. They had planned this day _months_ in advance. Takumi found a really cool hand-made shogi set that he wanted to gift to Leo for the holiday. He even had it wrapped in silly paper with cartoon snowmen and reindeer on it.

Just as they were about to exchange gifts, Leo got a call from his sister, Camilla. She was walking by the coffee shop that Takumi and Leo were in and noticed that Leo was there. She wanted to come in to say hello. Fearful of being caught, Takumi left despite Leo’s protests to stay. 

Takumi is not ready to deal with talking about his relationship to his family or Leo’s. He is scared that by doing so they will be forced to end what they have, which is the worst possible outcome. However, deep down he too wants to sit with Leo under that stupid tree and drink eggnog and listen to cheerful Nohrian holiday music without a care--

Takumi grips the scarf so tightly that he could hear the fabric straining.

Before Takumi snuck out the back entrance of the cafe, Leo pushed a medium-sized, ornately-wrapped box into Takumi’s hand. It's probably something stupid, like the tomato jam that Leo has been trying to get him to try for months. Throughout the train ride Takumi just holds it on his lap, not bothering to open it. The last words that Leo said to him keep ringing in his head. 

“We can’t keep running, Takumi.”

Takumi is more angry at himself than anything else. He wishes that he could be brave enough to stop running, but he isn’t.

It is nightfall by the time Takumi arrives back home in the capital city of Hoshido. The only person home, surprisingly, is Sakura. He’s glad that no one else is home, because he is tired of evading his older sibling’s invasive questions.

“H-hello, big bro. It’s nice to see you home.”

“Yeah.”

Sakura hesitates, fiddling with the hems of her sweater. Her eyes settle on present in Takumi's hands. “Uh, were you w-with a friend? You were gone a long time.”

“It was nothing.”

Upon thinking about Leo, Takumi's face flushes red out of both annoyance and embarrassment.

Sakura can tell when Takumi is lying, but she would never call him out on it. 

"And, um, dinner is in the fridge. I can heat it up for you!"

"S’fine. I ate," he mumbles.

Another lie, but he can't bring himself to eat anything right now. His stomach is still in knots from all of his raging thoughts and emotions from today.

In his hand, he is still tightly holding the stupid gift that Leo threw at him. Sakura’s eyes are fixated on the box once again. Despite her shyness, her eyes twinkle with wonder at the ornate wrapping paper.

“C-can I..see what you got?”

Her voice is barely above a whisper. Even though Takumi is still really mad, he can’t say no to his little sister when she’s like this. He shrugs. “Yeah, I guess.”

Gracelessly, he rips off the wrapping paper and lets it fall to the ground. The actual box is plain, which is not what he expected of Leo. There must be something more to this. Now curious, Takumi immediately moves to open the mysterious box. His hand brushes against cold glass, which is rounded at the top. Carefully, he pulls the awkwardly-shaped thing out of the box and scrutinizes it.

“Oh, a snowglobe!” Sakura says excitedly.

Inside the snowglobe is a small, peaceful-looking countryside Nohrian village. The detail in the small diorama is actually astonishing. Holiday decorations are displayed proudly on the houses, and even the little trees boast red and green lights and tinsel. The base of the snowglobe is a deep green, peppered with intricate gold embellishments that definitely look hand-painted.

“They say in Nohr if you shake a snowglobe and make a wish on the Eve of the Dusk Dragon that your wish will come true!”

Takumi huffs. “If Nohrians actually believe something like that, then they’re a lot more stupid than I originally thought.”

“Whoever gave it to you must think you’re very special. They want to help your dreams come true, after all.”

Takumi remains silent, his jaw clenched almost painfully.

“You...should make a wish.”

Begrudgingly, Takumi holds the snowglobe up and shakes it vigorously. Silvery glitter and little white specks swirl around the village. Watching the quiet village become blanketed in snow is almost hypnotic. Silently, Takumi wishes that he and Leo were there, holding hands while strolling down the cobblestone road. He wishes that Ryoma, Hinoka, and Sakura were there, too. And all of Leo’s family. Just being normal.

“Tch.” 

It’s never going to happen. Takumi unceremoniously puts the snowglobe back in its box, ending his hopeless reverie.

Sakura looks at her brother with kind eyes.

"I...I will support you know matter what, Takumi! Remember that, please."

In that moment, Sakura seemed to emanate an aura of maturity far beyond her years. Without saying anything else, Sakura quietly walks away to her room.

Takumi heads to his own room, feeling light-headed. Sometimes it feels like Sakura can see right through him, which is simultaneously unsettling and comforting.

The first thing he does when he closes the door is rip off Leo's scarf and throw it on the floor. Takumi knows he is being very childish right now, but he feels like he is going to explode if he doesn't vent these emotions somehow. He sets the stupid snowglobe on his nightstand and turns his back to it in an attempt to forget about its existence. 

Takumi stands in the middle of his room, which is completely dark save the faint glow from the city lights coming in through his window. Feeling restless, he decides to pace mindlessly.

After circling his room for what felt like an eternity contemplating his life decisions, Takumi suddenly feels his feet give out from beneath him. 

_The scarf--_

He lets out a small gasp of surprise and closes his eyes, bracing himself for the impact on his floor.

But it never happens.

Slowly, Takumi opens his eyes.

_This isn’t his room._

He is in the middle of some kind of snowy forest. It is peacefully quiet, but that unsettles Takumi, whose biggest fear is being alone. 

_A dream?_

Takumi aggressively pinches his cheek, and the pain confirms for him that he is, in fact, awake.

His first instinct is to run, to find an exit and get back home. 

His legs carry him as fast as they could.

Takumi’s lungs burn from exertion and inhaling the frigid winter air. No matter how much he runs, it doesn’t feel like he is getting anywhere. Everything looks the same.

Eventually, he stops running. His chest heaves as he tries to catch his breath, and tears of frustration prick his eyes.

“Is anyone here?” 

Nothing.

Takumi sighs loudly and kicks the tree closest to him, which causes the snow that was piled on the branches to fall directly on his head.

“You shouldn’t treat the trees like that, dear Takumi.”

Alarmed, Takumi brushes the snow out of his eyes and looks for the person who spoke to him. He doesn’t recognize their voice. It sounds like a girl that could be Sakura’s age, but it’s definitely not her.

“Who are you? Why do you know my name?”

Takumi’s amber eyes desperately scan the forest, looking for any sign of movement. Suddenly, a petite girl steps out from behind a large pine tree. She wears an elegant white gown that glitters with an impossible brilliance, mimicking the ethereal grace of snowfall. Her hair falls in a loose plait over her shoulder, soft blue transitioning to fiery red.

“My name is Lilith.”

She walks closer to Takumi. He doesn't even hear her footsteps in the snow.

"I brought you here to help you."

Takumi folds his arms defensively over his chest and scoffs. "What can you possibly do to help me? Just let me go home."

Lilith is unphased by Takumi's abrasiveness. She smiles gently and holds out her hand.

"Come with me."

A variety of emotions flash across Takumi's face: distrust, anger, then, ultimately, confusion.

"Why should I?" He challenges.

Lilith's smile radiates an irresistible warmth. "It is my duty to help those who have lost their way."

"I'm lost because you _made_ me lost," Takumi argues weakly, almost completely disarmed by Lilith's caring aura.

"You know that isn't true, Takumi."

She patiently keeps her hand out until Takumi finally relents and takes it.

Suddenly, their surroundings become engulfed in a dazzling light that reminds Takumi of the lightening bugs that dot the night sky in his backyard in the summer. 

It feels like he's falling again.

Takumi is so surprised that he lets out an embarrassing yelp.

Lilith squeezes his hand gently, and before he knows it Takumi's surroundings have completely changed. They're no longer in the forest, but instead in a traditional Hoshidan village. Takumi notes that the buildings look very old-fashioned, as if they were from a different time entirely.

"This is the beginning," Lilith says softly. "Where the humans we protect lived peacefully and cherished their brethren. Their lives were simple, but full of purpose."

They walk through the bustling village as Lilith speaks.

"It is the duty of dawn and dusk to ease our transitions away from the old and into something new. If we were to jump right into the dark, we would not know where it is that we need to go next. If we were to stay in the light, we will not remember our past struggles, and our growth will stagnate."

Takumi already knows this. It's what he's been taught since he was in diapers.

"Well obviously," he replies, rolling his eyes.

Unphased by Takumi's sarcasm, Lilith continues. "The Dawn Dragon and the Dusk Dragon have ensured that the balance between light and dark is not disturbed for as long as time has existed. The Dawn Dragon greets new beginnings, whereas the Dusk Dragon bids farewell to that which has passed."

Lilith stops suddenly, catching Takumi by surprise. 

"Despite their best efforts, the dragons could not prevent strife among those whom they were meant to protect. There have been times in the past where the balance between light and dark have been disrupted due to the nearsighted ambitions of a select few."

Suddenly, the peaceful village begins to change. Flames lick at the buildings, and anguished cries ring out. Takumi chokes on the oppressive black smoke, which also obstructs his view of Lilith.

Feeling bile beginning to rise in his throat, Takumi frantically searches for his lifeline. He can't see Lilith anywhere, and the smoke seems to be getting thicker.

Amid the suffocating darkness, Takumi sees a dazzling light. Instinctively, he reaches out to it. 

He is falling again.

When he finally gathers his bearings, Takumi’s eyes scan his surroundings. Lilith stands beside him once again, almost glowing against the dusk sky. He appears to now be in a humble Nohrian-style village. Snow covers the ground, and quaint holiday decorations adorn the buildings and surrounding shrubbery. He is certain that he has never been in this place before, but it looks familiar.

His gaze falls upon a cheerful wreath that hangs proudly on a door. In this moment, he realizes that this place looks just like the scene in the snowglobe that Leo got him. Before Takumi could ponder this further, Lilith speaks.

“Much like how the universe has a balance of light and dark, so do each of our souls. Your heart will become shrouded in darkness if you continue to spurn those who mean the most to you. This too can cause great suffering and turmoil to yourself and those you love.”

Before his eyes, the image of his family flashes before him. He sees Sakura’s patient and forgiving countenance, the passionate twinkle in Hinoka’s eyes, Ryoma’s steady gaze, and the warm smiles of his parents. The last to appear is Leo, who looks at Takumi with such reverence that it steals the breath from his lungs.

_They all care about him. They all love him and accept him._

"The world is constantly changing, dear Takumi. Much more than you may realize. Each day brings an end, but also an opportunity for a new beginning. Do not doubt the bonds that you have with those you love.”

At a loss for words and overwhelmed with emotion, all Takumi could do is nod.

Lilith smiles. “You alone have the power to grant your greatest wish, brave Takumi.”

Snow begins to dance and swirl around them.

“Farewell, and good luck.”

* * *

Takumi wakes up disoriented, sore, and cold on his bedroom floor. He gets up and immediately looks for his phone, which must have fallen out of his pocket when he tripped on Leo’s scarf.

He finds it on the other side of his room, luckily unscratched. Takumi sits on his bed and opens his messenger app. With a glint of determination in his eye, he begins to type a message to Leo.

* * *

Like every holiday morning, Leo sits in the parlor with his family and shares gifts. Peaceful holiday music plays in the background, making the room feel brighter.

However, Leo can’t help but wish that Takumi were here to share these happy moments with everyone. 

After Takumi left the coffee shop yesterday, Leo had a long talk with Camilla.

She has known about his secret relationship for a while now, and has been his main confidant with his struggles. Camilla, overly-protective but well-intentioned, wants to see Leo happy. So, she made it her mission to help Leo talk to the rest of their family about his relationship. While at the coffee shop, Camilla had revealed to Leo that their father is retiring. Thus, their family will no longer be as closely-scrutinized by the public. Now may be the perfect time to talk about his relationship with his family, to tell his father that he wants to live by his own terms.

Before he does that, he needs to speak to Takumi. 

Leo had tried to come up with a plan to broach the topic of being more open about their relationship to Takumi, but Camilla blew it all yesterday. She was so excited when she saw them in the coffee shop that she couldn’t help herself.

As Leo takes a sip of his hot cocoa, he notices his phone screen light up.

_Takumi._

Leo’s jaw goes slack when he reads Takumi’s long, heartfelt message.

He wants to meet Leo’s family.

After all the trouble he and Camilla went through to figure out how to talk to him, Takumi suddenly comes to on his own? Takumi is usually so painfully predictable, so for him to have such a sudden change of heart almost gives Leo whiplash. 

Leo becomes overwhelmed with affection as he rereads Takumi’s text. for the fourth time

Elise’s mischievous, sing-song voice snaps him out of his reverie. “Leo! What’s with that goofy grin?” She hovers over his shoulder in an attempt to see what is on his phone.

He feels his face heat up, and before he could be embarrassed any further Leo locks his phone. Camilla exchanges a knowing glance at him, which only makes his face turn even redder.

He takes a deep breath. “I actually have something important to tell you all.”

Leo takes a step towards a new beginning.

* * *

The sun is starting to set, painting the city a brilliant violet-orange.

Leo sees a familiar silhouette walking towards him from the train station, bundled in the same scarf that he had given away a few days prior.

“Glad to see that you made it here on time,” Leo says warmly. Takumi sticks his tongue out in return. It was one time that he took the wrong train! One time!

Without any further hesitation they embrace, and Leo can feel Takumi laughing against his shoulder.

"What's so funny?"

"Your hat is on inside out, stupid. I can see the tag."

Leo groans, but doesn't move to break the hug with Takumi. He's too warm, too _here_ and Leo doesn't want the moment to end. "No one said anything to me before I left," he laments.

"That’s what mirrors are for," Takumi jabs playfully. “And I guess it’s my job now too.”

They remain in each other’s arms for a few more moments in comfortable silence. 

Leo’s phone buzzes in his pocket. It is most certainly an overly-excited Elise asking for the five-thousandth time where he and Takumi are. Leo reluctantly breaks the hug and pulls out his phone, hastily responding to his sister. With a grumble, he also fixes his hat. “We better get going before they do something really embarrassing.”

They start to walk in the direction of Leo’s house, their gloved hands intertwined. Leo smiles. “They’re all excited to meet you, Takumi.”

“Yeah, my family is excited to meet you too, despite my warnings about your terrible fashion sense.”

Leo makes an exaggerated sigh, but his smile says that he doesn’t mind this banter at all.

“For someone who is so opposed to my fashion sense, you don’t seem to have a problem wearing my clothes.” Leo gestures to the purple scarf that is snugly wrapped around Takumi’s neck.

Takumi raises his free hand to touch the scarf, briefly remembering his encounter with Lilith. 

“Not my fault it’s so cold in Nohr. This is out of necessity.” He punctuates his sentence by snuggling himself further into the soft scarf.

They continue to walk, a light snow falling around them. The white flakes glisten and reflect the warm hues of the sunset. 

Takumi smiles and squeezes Leo’s hand, grounded by his presence.

His wish is coming true.

**Author's Note:**

> this has been a pleasure to write. I hope you enjoyed this! 
> 
> happy holidays!!! ☺️☃️
> 
> I'm on Twitter @rosesanthorons if you wanna stop by and say hi 💖


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